2 Samuel 11:14-25

14So in the morning David 1wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 152He had written in the letter 3the following: “4Station Uriah on the front line of the 5fiercest battle and pull back from him, 6so that he may be struck and killed.” 16So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he 7stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and 8Uriah the Hittite also died. 18Then Joab sent a messenger and reported to David all the events of the war. 19He ordered the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the events of the war to the king, 20then it shall be that if the king’s wrath rises and he says to you, ‘Why did you move against the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who 9struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did a woman not throw an upper millstone on him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you move against the wall?’--then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’”

22So the messenger departed and came and reported to David everything that Joab had sent him to tell. 23The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us and came out against us in the field, but we 10pressed them as far as the entrance of the gate. 24Also, the archers shot at your servants from the wall; so some of the king’s servants died, and your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.” 25Then David said to the messenger, “This is what you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing 11displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; 12fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.”